James Peak Wilderness
The James Peak Wilderness encompasses 14,000 acres on the east side of the Continental Divide in Boulder, Gilpin, and Clear Creek Counties of Colorado. The area is named after its most prominent peak...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 17,109 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 2002, by Congress |
| Center point | 39.8551, -105.6867 |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 27) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 13 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 3 moreHide
1 more within ten miles is not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 4 miBill Moore Lake/Empire Loop ↗Trailhead
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
11 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 34 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Flora ↗ | 6.1 | |
| Rollins Pass ↗ | 5 | |
| James Peak South ↗ | 4.7 | |
| South Boulder Creek ↗ | 4.5 | |
| Ute ↗ | 4.5 | |
| Mill Creek Ridge ↗ | 3.1 | |
| Forest Lakes | 2.8 | |
| James Peak Lake | 1.1 | |
| Arapaho Lakes | 0.9 | |
| Crater Lakes | 0.9 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 4.8 miGeorgetown Schoolhouse ↗National Historic Landmark
- 8.3 miWilliam's Stables ↗National Historic Landmark
- 8.4 miWinks Panorama ↗National Historic Landmark
- 1.6 miPeck House ↗Empire, CO
- 1.7 miMint Saloon ↗Empire, CO
- 3.8 miBuchan Cabin ↗Eldora, CO
- 4.4 miGold Miner Hotel ↗Eldora, CO
- 4.4 miGold Miner Hotel (Boundary Increase) ↗Eldora, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is James Peak Wilderness?
17,109 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages James Peak Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is James Peak Wilderness in?
Colorado.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was James Peak Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2002.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at James Peak Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Mizpah Campground, 1.7 miles out. 13 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
Where are the trailheads in James Peak Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site here, including 1 trailhead. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to James Peak Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 39.855, -105.687. Rocky Mountain National Park is 29 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How dark is the night sky at James Peak Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 27 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near James Peak Wilderness?
Rocky Mountain National Park (29 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near James Peak Wilderness?
35 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Georgetown Schoolhouse and William's Stables.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.